WAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!
That's the only thought that would come to mind as I looked around at the HUGE crowd of people gathering in our tiny church for our Christmas party!
For weeks our team had planned, prayed, prepared, and now it was finally time for people to arrive. We didn't know how many we would have. 10? 30? 50? Whatever the case, we certainly didn't expect over 100! Yet as our dear friends poured in, including teachers, students, highschool friends, and service-men who work at our schools, our small building began to seem even smaller. At one point I looked over the many heads at Lucas, with what must have been a panicked look in my eyes only to meet the same look coming from him! What to do with all these people??!! I mean, this was great, but the games and activities we had planned wouldn't work quite as well with such a large group.
We decided to bite the bullet and start and just take it as we went along. We began by teaching them Joy To The World, and they learned it surprisingly quickly. Then we went on with various activities including a Christmas symbol memory game, a scavenger hunt (carrying out simple instructions to "Find Megan and wish her a Merry Christmas!" or "Sing Jingle Bells as a team with Ginger") a Christmas tree making contest, the Christmas Story, explaining various family Christmas traditions, and cookie decorating.
Whew! When it was all over and the last person had left, it was a very tired team that cleaned up the last of the mess and made their weary way home. Yet it was with great joy that I look back, not only on the party itself, but on all the planning and preparation that came before it. Many happy hours were spent with my precious dorm girls, Susan, Jilly, and Angel as they helped me roll endless Christmas tree, ginger bread men, and star shaped sugar cookies. Then there was the shopping, cutting, sorting, gathering, and everything else that had to be done.
It has been good to have something to consume our time and thoughts during this time of year. Throughout all our busy preparations, our deepest desire continues to be that our dear friends will come to know the True meaning of Christmas, and that we will be given the opportunity to share a small bit of Christ's love with them.
It was thrilling to have one of my highschool friends tell me, "I am so glad I could come here and hear the true meaning of Christmas. I never knew this before. When my friends ask me about it, I will tell them that THIS is the real meaning. It is not just Santa Claus and reindeer!"
Praise the Lord that this one boy was able to catch the significance of this holiday, enough to be able to explain it to his friends. I pray that he will soon come to know, in a personal way, the true Reason for the season! This is my prayer for all my precious people here. Please pray that the Lord will touch the hearts of those He has chosen and call them to Himself. We can plan, pray, prepare, and preach, but it is Christ alone who can save.
This Christmas, what a privelege it is to be given the opportunity to share His Truth with so many. Even on this dark island, God's light is continually shining as we seek to bear it to those whose hearts are bound by darkness. May our lives and lips express His love in such a way that others, looking at us, may see instead, His face and be drawn to His perfect light.
"For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shines in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." 2 Corinthians 4:6
From Kinmen Island,
Rebekah Gilley ~ Phil. 1:20
